...AUGUST 2014 MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY...
Just when July had many thinking the unbearable heat of summer had been sidestepped this year, August came around and proved to be the warmest month of the year. In fact, in Memphis it was the first month with an above normal temperature (0.5 degrees above normal) since October 2013, ten months ago. Memphis also recorded a high of 100 degrees in August, a temperature not achieved at all in the Bluff City during 2013.
Memphis was the warmest of the four official sites this month with an average temperature of 82.5 degrees, 0.5 degrees above normal. Currently the year to date average temperature for Memphis is 62.5 degrees, which is still 2.5 degrees below normal, despite the warmer August temperatures. Jonesboro was the second warmest this month with an average temperature of 80.6 degrees, a 0.8 degree departure above normal. This makes Memphis and Jonesboro the only two of the four official sites to have above normal temperatures for August. So far this year Jonesboro has an average temperature of 59.3 degrees, 2.5 degrees below normal. Tupelo had an average temperature of 80.5 degrees in August, slightly below normal with a 0.3 degree departure, while Jackson was 0.6 degrees cooler than normal during August with an average temperature of 78.0 degrees. Tupelo is currently 2.3 degrees cooler than normal for the year, while Jackson is 2.5 degrees cooler for 2014. Again, Memphis recorded 100 degrees in August, making that the highest temperature recorded at any of the four sites all year. Jackson recorded the coolest temperature of all the sites this month with 56.0 degrees.
Overall August was a drier month than normal, with only Jackson having a monthly precipitation total that was above normal. Tupelo only received 1.36 inches of precipitation, making it the driest site all month, which was 2.09 inches below normal. So far for the year 2014 Tupelo is the only site with a below normal precipitation total, having received 0.53 inches less than normal. Jonesboro only received 1.57 inches of precipitation during August, 0.97 inches below normal, while it is 2.57 inches above normal for the year. Memphis was 1.08 inches of precipitation below normal for August, but is still 8.34 inches above normal for the year. This also makes it the wettest site so far in the year 2014. Jackson was the wettest site for the month with a total of 5.29 inches, or 2.29 inches above normal. Currently for the year Jackson is 7.81 inches above the precipitation normal.
TEMPERATURE DATA:
Memphis Jackson Jonesboro Tupelo
Average Temperature (MONTH) : 82.5 78.0 80.6 80.5
Normal Avg. Temp (MONTH) : 82.0 78.6 79.8 80.8
Departure from Normal (MONTH): 0.5 -0.6 0.8 -0.3
Average Temperature (YEAR) : 62.5 59.3 59.3 62.0
Normal Avg. Temp (YEAR) : 65.0 61.8 62.1 64.3
Departure from Normal (YEAR) : -2.5 -2.5 -2.8 -2.3
Maximum Temperature : 100.0 95.0 98.0 97.0
Minimum Temperature : 63.0 56.0 61.0 60.0
PRECIPITATION DATA:
Memphis Jackson Jonesboro Tupelo
Total Precipitation (MONTH) : 1.80 5.29 1.57 1.36
Normal Precipitation (MONTH) : 2.88 3.00 2.54 3.45
Departure from Normal (MONTH): -1.08 2.29 -0.97 -2.09
Total Precipitation (YEAR) : 43.72 43.68 33.68 35.94
Normal Precipitation (YEAR) : 35.38 35.87 31.11 36.47
Departure from Normal (YEAR) : 8.34 7.81 2.57 -0.53
Percent of Normal (YEAR) : 124% 122% 108% 99%
Summer 2014 Review:
The end of August was also the end of meteorological summer, which covers the months of June, July, and August. Despite the warmer temperatures in August, all four official sites had below normal average temperatures for Summer 2014. Memphis was the warmest site at 79.9 degrees, a 1.5 degree departure below normal. Next was Tupelo at 78.6 degrees, or 1.5 degrees cooler than normal, while Jonesboro had an average of 77.9 degrees, a 1.6 degree departure below normal. Jackson was the coolest official site and also had the greatest departure below normal with an average temperature of 76.3 degrees, a 1.8 degree departure. Jackson was also the wettest site this summer, receiving 21.67 inches of precipitation, 9.34 inches above its summer normal. Memphis received 17.76 inches of precipitation this summer, 6.66 inches above normal. Tupelo was the third wettest site all summer with 15.76 inches, a 3.89 inch departure above normal, while Jonesboro received 12.40 inches of precipitation, 2.57 inches wetter than normal.
TEMPERATURE DATA:
Memphis Jackson Jonesboro Tupelo
Average Temperature (Summer14) : 79.9 76.3 77.9 78.6
Normal Avg. Temp (Summer) : 81.4 78.1 79.5 80.1
Departure from Normal (Summer14): -1.5 -1.8 -1.6 -1.5
PRECIPITATION DATA:
Memphis Jackson Jonesboro Tupelo
Total Precipitation (Summer14) : 17.76 21.67 12.40 15.76
Normal Precipitation (Summer) : 11.10 12.33 9.83 11.87
Departure from Normal (Summer14): 6.66 9.34 2.57 3.89
Climate Outlook:
With our warmest months of the year behind us, climatologically speaking, we can now look forward to the cooler months of fall. September, October, and November compose meteorological fall, and for these months the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is predicting equal chances for above normal, near normal, and below normal precipitation totals and temperatures. This shows a lack of a clear climate signal, and thus no certain forecast can be made for meteorological fall. However, for the month of September the CPC is predicting a slightly enhanced chance for above normal temperatures across the region. Additionally, there is a 65% chance of a weak El Nino event late this fall and through the winter months. Typically these events lead to slightly cooler than normal temperatures for the winter months across the Mid-South.
MAYE
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on YouTube
MEG RSS Feed